


Negotiations (A Vignette)

by janearts



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-15
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2019-03-31 13:25:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13976058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janearts/pseuds/janearts
Summary: For his crimes, Morowa Trevelyan has given Samson to Bree Amell so that he might yet find redemption for his actions.  Cullen seeks information on Corypheus’ army, but finds that that information comes at a price.





	Negotiations (A Vignette)

Cullen rested his hands calmly on the pommel of his sword and tried to give the mongrel of a man across from him what he hoped was a stern and authoritative look. A long exhale through the nostrils was the only indication of his displeasure and growing impatience.

For weeks now Samson had led Cullen on what was ultimately an elaborate wild-goose chase. As he had promised at his sentencing, Samson had been forthcoming in his information, exacting in detail and thorough in his answers. In retrospect, Cullen realised he should have known better, known that Samson would try to protect his men at all costs and buy them time from the Inquisition’s far and devastating reach. And it had worked. Cullen had sent his soldiers over hill and dale to wipe out every last Red Templar on the Maker’s green earth… and they had found nothing.

And to top it all off, here their General was, sitting in Cullen’s chair behind Cullen’s desk. The Commander was greeted with a smug, knowing smile that made his stomach turn, but Cullen rallied his spirits and placed his fists on the desk, looming over the seated Samson.

‘Your game is at an end, Samson. I need that information on Red Templar movements through the area. You swore yourself to the Inquisition–you have an obligation to cede your knowledge for the Inquisition’s use.’

Samson steepled his fingers and likewise leaned on the desk with an air of defiance. Even without his red-lyrium armour, there was a commanding presence about the ruined man.

‘I want you to beg for it.’

‘What?’ Cullen’s tone was incredulous. Samson was in no position to bargain.

‘Beg, Commander, beg. Don’t you know how to beg, Commander?’

At Cullen’s silence, Samson sneered and leaned back in the chair.

‘I’m an expert on begging, myself. For years I wasted away in the gutter begging for scraps… but then again, you knew that didn’t you, Commander?’

The words were ferocious in their contempt and Cullen recoiled at their bite. He snapped back obstinately, ‘I am not going to beg for information that you will give me.’

This only elicited a snort of derision. ‘Or else what, Commander? Are you going to tell Bree that I’ve been uncooperative?’ At this, he sat up in the chair again, eager in his mockery. ‘Because to show Bree my sincere contrition, I’d cooperate. Oh, I’d tell her everything and anything she wishes to know… like why I really got expelled from the Order. What was it you told her again? I was expelled for “erratic behaviour”? Still quoting Meredith after all this time, Cullen? After all she’s done?’

Cullen was grave in his silence. He was awaiting another, yet unspoken threat, but it never came. Samson didn’t need to speak the words for it to be said. Cullen pulled away from the desk, jaw set with his hands still balled into fists. But such a sight had never stopped Samson from running his mouth before.

‘Or would the good Commander hit me?’ he taunted, ‘Go on, have a go.’ Another sneer. ‘Of course, that wouldn’t sit well with Milady, the Commander beating a poor defenceless man like myself. She’d eat up every word out of my mouth at just the sight of a good black eye and some bruising. And then you would feel her wrath, not me.’

He leaned languidly on the table again, looking up at Cullen with red eyes hard as flint.

‘So, what is it to be, Commander? How badly do you really need this information?’

There was a short silence that felt like an eternity between them both. The Inquisitor would have called it a “standoff”, each man appraising the other, watching the other keenly to see who would make the first move and who would fall.

At long last, Cullen bowed his head as he knelt on one knee as if in prayer. Looking up at Samson, he raised his eyebrows pointedly as if to say, ‘There. Does that please you?’

Samson’s smile was genuine in its satisfaction.

‘I did miss seeing you on your knees, Cullen. I’ll tell you what you want to know.’


End file.
